The invention relates generally to computers and other electronic assemblies and, more specifically, to a chassis for housing electronic components.
A computer system includes electronic components, such as a microprocessor, power supply, input/output devices, and memory chips, which are enclosed within a chassis. Usually the chassis has a bottom frame and a top frame which fits over the bottom frame. The electronic components are usually mounted on the bottom frame of the chassis and the top frame is secured to the bottom frame to enclose the electronic components within the chassis. Typically, a computer system that is not designed for portability or that is not constrained by space uses an oversized chassis. The oversized chassis eases the task of mounting the electronic components on the bottom frame of the chassis and allows subsequent addition of electronic components to the chassis.
Sometimes, it is desirable to have a high-performance computing system in the smallest possible form-factor. This often requires that the same electronic components that fit into a large chassis be fitted into a much smaller chassis. The electronic components may be attached to both the bottom frame and top frame of the chassis to allow the highest density packing possible while permitting sufficient air flow to cool the enclosed components. The electronic components may be so tightly packed that clearances between sensitive components are not more than a few hundredths of an inch. This kind of dense packing makes it difficult to attach the top frame of the chassis to the bottom frame of the chassis without damaging the electronic components. Thus it would be beneficial to have a chassis that would allow dense packing of electronic components without damaging the electronic components.